title: Effect of preservatives on microbial safety and quality of smoked blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) steaks during room-temperature storage.
abstract: The microbial safety and quality of smoked blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) steaks treated with antimicrobials and antioxidants were examined during 6-week ambient storage. Five pre-smoking soaking treatments were applied: 25% NaCl and 1% ascorbic acid for 30 min or 1h, 3% sodium lactate with or without 5% rosemary extract for 30 min, and 5% sorbic acid alone for 30 min. After smoking, cooled catfish steaks were packed and analyzed at 0, 2, 4, and 6 weeks of ambient storage. Neither Listeria nor Salmonella was recovered from the smoked catfish steaks. Significant reductions (P<0.05) in total plate counts were observed in all treated samples, with those treated with 3% sodium lactate carrying the lowest microbial load. The rosemary extract-treated samples were the most stable against oxidation. All treated smoked catfish steaks had water activities less than 0.85; however, neither pH nor water activity changed significantly within each treatment group during storage (P> or 0.05). In conclusion, smoking/cooking effectively reduced microbial populations, and the use of antimicrobial agents and antioxidants, particularly 3% sodium lactate, could aid the control of microbial safety during storage, resulting in safe products for up to 6 weeks without refrigeration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, 111 Food Science Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
authors.forename: Ligia V Antonia
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Witoon
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Prinyawiwatkul
authors.forename: Joan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Hong Kyoon
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: No
authors.forename: Joseph D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Bankston
authors.forename: Beilei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ge
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis / Q000517:prevention & control; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D005520:Food Preservatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007059:Ictaluridae / Q000382:microbiology*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D027542:Rosmarinus / Q000737:chemistry; D017747:Seafood / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000592:standards*; D012906:Smoke; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D019354:Sodium Lactate / Q000494:pharmacology; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005520:Food Preservatives; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012906:Smoke; D014867:Water; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D019354:Sodium Lactate